Men's | Not Yet Reviewed | Live for the Outdoors

Rab’s first jacket to use Polartec’s all-new Neoshell membrane. It’s this element that is really key to the jacket’s uniqueness. It claims to be much more breathable than other membrane equivalents. In use that certainly seems to be the case, and even on hard ascents on cold days there was no trace of condensation. Aside from the stretch fabric, this ...

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Meindl Kansas Lady GTX

A great-looking boot made from tough, nubuck leather. The fit is really supportive – they’ve got a good women’s last that holds the foot in place and a high ankle cuff to protect from knocks and sprains. They’ve also got a great lacing system which uses a locking eyelet so you can get a comfortable fit right across your foot. ...

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Berghaus Extrem Couloir Mountain Pants 2011

£200.00

The Berghaus Extrem Couloir Mountain Pants are serious mountain trouser suitable for the most testing environments. Made of Gore-Tex Pro Shell, they are a far cry from stiff, rustly overtrousers of old; the fabric is soft, supremely comfy and flexible, and Cordura patches on the inside ankle and knees offer good abrasion resistance. The full-length side zip aids taking the ...

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Rab Mountain Dru Pants 2011

£180.00

Brand new, the Rab Mountain Dru Pants are designed for fairly serious abuse on alpine terrain, and their features reflect this. The waistline is very high, keeping draughts at bay even with the extreme action that climbing and scrambling require. The zip is a full-length affair, so they can be opened up completely from the waist to the ankle, which ...

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Montane eVent Superfly Trousers 2011

£130.00

The mid-priced Montane eVent Superfly Trousers strike a fine balance between technicality and simplicity. They may lack features such as belt loops, pockets and a fly zip, but they do have reinforced ankles, backside and knees, a drawstring at the ankle for volume adjustment, and water-resistant zips. They feel like trousers that have had some serious thought over the essential ...

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Páramo Cascada Trousers 2011

£115.00

Páramo is unconventional in its approach to waterproofing. Shunning membranes, it utilises Nikwax Analogy fabric, which mimics the action of animal fur. The outer fabric is only water-resistant, but a unique ‘pump’ layer pushes water back out of the fabric, ditto condensation. Apart from this well-proven system, the Páramo Cascada Trousers have two boons: they’re soft, which makes them both ...

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Rohan Dry Ascent / Dry Roamers 2011

£100.00

The Rohan Dry Ascent / Dry Roamers trousers prefer their waterproofing to be a little more covert. Rohan amusingly describes the Dry Ascent as ‘waterproof trousers for people who hate wearing waterproof overtrousers’, and that’s about the size of it. The face fabric has one of those ‘it’s not really waterproof, is it?’ feels. The secret is Rohan’s Barricade, a ...

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The North Face Venture 2011

£60.00

The presence of The North Face’s distinctive decal on these trousers (the lowest-priced here) certainly ups the cred – and the expectations. At 210g, the Venture trousers are certainly light: made of seam-sealed 2.5 layer HyVent DT fabric (the ‘point five’ refers to a microgrid print layer on the inner, which separates the fabric from the skin and increases airflow), ...

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PHD Minimus Down Vest 2011

£125.00

If you feel the chill or have some serious cold-weather mountaineering planned then the PHD Minimus Down Vest is the right gilet for you. It uses high-quality 800 fill power down to deliver extreme warmth despite weighing a tiny 240g (size M). It also packs down seriously small, so it’s perfect for stashing in your pack for chilly lunch stops ...

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Páramo Torres Gilet 2011

£78.00

Gilets are really useful as throw-on lunch stop insulation, so one designed specifically as an outer layer makes obvious sense. The Páramo Torres Gilet has a windproof, water-repellent Nikwax outer that can be treated to increase wet-weather performance – although our tests found that it was remarkably waterproof even without additional treatment. The fast-drying synthetic fill lends itself to use ...

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Rab Generator Vest 2011

£75.00

A gilet that packs away into its own inner pocket and can be used as a camping pillow? You’ve got to admit that’s pretty cool. The Rab Generator Vest uses synthetic Primaloft to deliver damp-proof insulation. It doesn’t quite pack the warmth-per-gram punch of down, but it does hold up much better against our typical British mountain weather conditions. The ...

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Mountain Equipment Orion Vest 2011

£70.00

The first thing that’s apparent about the Mountain Equipment Orion Vest is its rugged durability. The fabric is EXOlite II, which is hard-wearing as well as having four-way stretch for freedom of movement. It was one of the most water-resistant gilets in our test, and would certainly see off intermittent showers on the hill, as well as providing a breathable ...

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Aku Camana NBK GTX

The Camana is a very supple nubuck boot that gives good comfort levels straight out of the box. The reduced thickness of leather does mean that they are better suited to lower level walking, as does the fairly flexible sole unit. They do sit quite low which, coupled with the flexing outsole, gives great feedback from the ground for reassuring ...

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Finisterre Anabatic MkII 2010

The Finisterre Anabatic MkII is a new jacket that is extremely exciting for a number of reasons. Firstly this is a UK brand based in Cornwall that is clearly making good inroads into the outdoor market. Second the jacket is made from part recycled and 100 per cent recyclable material, unlike some other products. Thirdly this is a great design! ...

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Vasque Breeze GTX 2010

The Vasque Breeze GTX weighs 1100g (pair, size 11); Gore-Tex XCR waterproof lining; open mesh upper panels for more breathability; very aggressive Vibram outsole lug pattern for mud; good sole stiffness for rocky ground. But upper is very soft and flexible, including toe box and heel cup; boots with less mesh and stitching will be more durable.

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Rohan Equator Shirt 2010

£45.00

One for the bar rather than the trail, the Rohan Equator Shirt is a lightweight, comfortable shirt with two zipped pockets at the chest and looped hangers inside allowing you to hang and dry it quickly. And if the sleeves aren’t short enough already you can even tie them back further to reveal the full magnitude of your ‘guns’ or ...

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Páramo Kea Light Shirt 2010

£46.00

While the cut and styling of the Páramo Kea Light Shirt hark back to colonial days, this is a hugely practical shirt that’s wicking and breathable enough for light trekking and comes with a host of secure features including two hidden zipped pockets and closely spaced buttons and collar to keep bugs out. It’s quick-drying and has a sun protection ...

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Lowe Alpine Capricorn Shirt 2010

£45.00

With the Lowe Alpine Capricorn Shirt, European design sensibilities have led here to deliver a more cheerful design. It comes with an ultra-violet protection factor of 40, and promises to be easy to wash and dry. It has a zipped pocket at the chest and straps to shorten the sleeves to mid-bicep. No venting make this of limited appeal for ...

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Kathmandu Marudi 2010

£40.00

The Kathmandu Marudi is 100 per cent recycled and the company has signed up to 1% for the Planet. Not suited to long days trekking it does look fairly stylish in the departure lounge and has a discreet zipped pocket big enough for your passport and boarding card. Colourful but still not hip enough for full moon parties on the ...

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Berghaus Tshort Haul 2010

£40.00

Berghaus has hit this market perfectly with the Tshort Haul, managing to produce kit that is practical and well cut. The shirt feels silky and cool, and comes with antimicrobial treatment that means even if you do get hot the clothing won’t pong. There’s a zipped pocket at the chest and mesh at the back to help wick sweat away. ...

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GoLite Parapoa 2010

£45.00

A hint of safari suit means you can pay homage to Steve Irwin with the GoLite Parapoa. This shirt is very cool (both climatically and sartorially) with one secure zipped pocket and little stretch to the material. It feels less run-of-the-mill than the majority here and is a great option although it’s not made for full days trekking. Review by ...

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Vaude Samur 2010

£45.00

The Vaude Samur shirt is made from cocona – a coconut-derived fabric that is odour-resistant. It feels less instantly airy than other tops here but it is comfortable and offers a sun protection factor (SPF ) of 25. It’s a good, functional top that would work well on gentler walks and at the all-you-can eat hotel buffet. Review by Matt ...

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Haglöfs Neo Short Sleeve 2010

£55.00

The Haglöfs Neo Short Sleeve is made from quick-drying, recycled polyester that promises not to pong after a few days thanks to its Active Odor Control materials. A zipped chest pocket with mesh lining is both secure and aids venting. It won’t be what you want to wear up a hill, but it looks stylish enough for a full day’s ...

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Mountain Hardwear Ravine 2010

£45.00

If you’re looking for a short-sleeved shirt for a walking trip in a hot country the Mountain Hardwear Ravine is the best option. With mesh venting at the back and under the arms it will keep you cool yet still looks sufficiently non-techy to warrant being worn to the bar. Two zipped pockets on the chest add security and a ...

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Craghoppers Nosquito 2010

£45.00

The Craghoppers Nosquito is a cracking shirt that looks better than the majority of clothing aimed at the travel market. Made from ‘Nosquito’ material, it is designed to ward off bugs and with good venting on the back it should keep you cool. It has a sun protection factor (SPF ) of 40 and one hidden internal zipped pocket that ...